Who pays for what?

This is the biggest question surrounding any wedding day and planning a destination wedding is no exception. Inviting your wedding guests to escape to a destination for your wedding brings with it untold expenses and many people may find it a hardship.

The couple getting married may love the idea of a destination wedding - where with their families and a few close friends they escape the traditional wedding expectations, but the guests may feel awkward about what is expected of them. Be very clear in your invitation what you will be including for the weekend.

All inclusive resorts are the best place to book an destination wedding. With this type of resort everything is included, including water sports and entertainment. Check with the hotels concierge about having your wedding on site. Many resorts are more than willing to accommodate this request for a nominal fee.

Since destination weddings are relatively new, there are no hard and fast rules for who pays what.

Here are a few guidelines that seem reasonable....

The invited guests pay for;

• Their own transportation to the wedding destination.

The bride and groom pay for;

• Hotel rooms or accommodations.
• The wedding reception and rehearsal dinner.
• Food and beverages

The families of the bride and groom pays for a round of golf, a fishing trip or any other appropriate form of entertainment.